The United States has approved a $330 million military sale to Taiwan, marking the first such deal since President Donald Trump returned to office. The package includes spare parts and maintenance support for Taiwan’s F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter aircraft. Washington remains Taipei’s main arms supplier and a critical deterrent against potential Chinese aggression, though Trump’s mixed signals on Taiwan’s defense have raised uncertainty. Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has pledged to boost defense spending and strengthen ties with the US, while facing opposition from the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party, which controls parliament. The sale comes amid regional tensions, with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting Tokyo could intervene militarily if Taiwan is attacked, a statement that drew sharp condemnation from Beijing.